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Homicide: Life on the Street
NBC, 1993-Present
While "Hill Street Blues" may have defined the modern cop show, "Homicide" took it a step further. Based on the book by David Simon, the series is a dark look at the life of homicide detectives, with few punches pulled. Up until the end of the 1998 season, Andre Braugher was the show's moral center, though almost all the cast, from Kyle Secor to Clark Johnson, has been strong and intense. |
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Friends
NBC, 1994-Present
Already much copied, this series caught the fancy of our generation -
the series follows the intertwining
lives of a group of six friends, three girls and three guys. The device
is simple enough - two of the girls
and two of the guys live across the hall from each other - a nice
conceit that brings the gang together
frequently (as does their favorite haunt, Central Perk). Other shows
have tried, but again, good writing
and an appealing cast remain compelling to audiences.
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Married... With Children
FOX, 1987-97
While shows like "The Cosby Show" showed an almost-ideal family and how it interacted, "Married . . . With Children," looked at a different type of family: A dysfunctional group which was made up the chauvinistic dad Al (Ed O'Neill), lazy Peg (Katey Segal) and their ungracious children, the horny Bud (David Faustino) and promiscuous Kelly (Christina Applegate). Though highly criticized, this comedy ran for nine seasons and was, at the end of its run, TV's longest-running comedy series. |
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Barney Miller
ABC, 1975-82
A usually sarcastic look on police life, and one precinct in general. Led by Capt. Barney Miller (Hal Linden), the 12th Precinct's motley crew spent their day dealing with an assortment off odd crimes and criminals. |
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The Fugitive
ABC, 1963-67
Richard Kimball was running - from the long-arm of the law that was
mistakenly after him; after the one-
arm man he knew killed his wife and towards justice. Audiences were
awarded for their viewership of this
excellent series with a satisfactory conclusion. Later, the series was
made into a hit movie starring
Harrison Ford.
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Hogan's Heroes
CBS, 1965-71
It's unfashionable now - this series that poked fun at being a POW
during WWII in a German camp. Still,
the series can still be seen on Nick at Nite and remains popular. Broad,
snide humor kept this series going
- good and bad were easily defined (the bad guys had the German
accents). It may seem silly now, but like
"Gilligan's Island" and "Green Acres" represents a memorable time in TV
history. |
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Star Trek: The Next Generation
Syndication, 1987-94
It actually was possible to improve on the original - the next
incarnation was a winning, popular series
that was turned into feature films. Taking its cue -- and huge leap -
from the sci-fi series and movies of
its time, TNG updated the ship, the cast, the uniforms, the techie
Trekker. With holographic doctors, an
android who wanted to be human and inter-alien/human romance, TNG
introduced deeply profound and
well-thought out story lines to the franchise.
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Dragnet
NBC, 1952-59, 1967-70
Jack Webb was the consummate policeman: "My name's Friday. I'm a cop."
and "Just the facts, ma'am." While our generation is more inclined to recall Dan Akyrod's rendering
in the late 80s version of the series, classic TV fans cannot forget Webb or his series' impact.
Although the series began as a radio show in 1948, it's probably best remembered for Webb's Friday's pairing with Officer Bill Gannon, played by a pre-"M*A*S*H" Harry Morgan, who didn't join the series until
1967 - after it had a seven-year hiatus. The |
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The Bob Newhart Show
CBS, 1972-78
Low-key comedian Newhart starred as Chicago psychologist Bob Hartley, who, with his wife, Emily (Suzanne Pleshette), dealt with an odd assortment of characters both at work and at home. |
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I Dream of Jeannie
NBC, 1965-70
Before he made a splash in "Dallas," Larry Hagman was known as the lucky(?) owner of a special genie in a bottle -- Jeannie, played by Barbara Eden. Jeannie had many special powers and found it easy to get her master (and future husband) in all sorts of jams. |
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The Beverly Hillbillies
CBS, 1962-71
When a backwoods family strikes oil, they soon find themselves among the millionaires in Beverly Hills, Calif. However, you can take the Clampetts out of the Ozarks, but you can't take the Ozarks out of them. Their hillbilly ways led to many misadventures in their new home town. Like many of these popular series, this was also remade into a film in the 1990s. |
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The Golden Girls
NBC, 1985-92
A comedic look at the lives of four mature women living in Miami. Dorothy (Bea Arthur) was the outspoken divorcee, who was also a substitute teacher. Her mother, Sophia (Estelle Getty) was a feisty senior citizen who always was getting into some trouble. Rounding out the group was Betty White's soft-spoken Rose and Rue McClanahan's lusty Southern Belle Blanche Devereaux. |
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The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
NBC, 1964-68
Widely seen as America's answer to James Bond, Robert Vaughn's Napoleon Solo teamed with David McCallum's Illya Kuryakin to fight an international crime syndicate with their wits and good looks. The show started out on a serious note, but soon turned camp. |
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Laverne & Shirley
ABC, 1976-83
 This successful spin-off of "Happy Days" featured the misadventures, romantic and otherwise, of Laverne De Fazio (Penny Marshall) and Shirley Feeney (Cindy Williams), who lived together and worked together at the local brewery. This show has earned its way into the Top 100 by having well developed characters and a fabulous theme song! That song earned its way into the top 25 in 1976. |
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Twin Peaks
ABC, 1992-93
This off-beat drama was a new type of soap opera from director David Lynch, focusing on the simple, but perplexing question, "Who killed Laura Palmer?" A strange assortment of characters, including the log lady, Agent Dale Cooper and many others graced the small screen over the span of a year-and-a-half. While the show caused quite a stir upon its premiere, it quickly died down and was cancelled in 1991. |
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Perry Mason
CBS, 1957-66
Based on the successful novels by Erle Stanley Gardner, Raymond Burr starred as super lawyer Perry Mason, who never lost a case (except once). "Mason" had a strong run on series television, but Burr reprised the role in countless TV movies in the '80s and '90s before he passed away. |
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Leave it to Beaver
CBS/ABC, 1957-63
Another beloved family comedy, which featured the wholesome Cleaver clan, headed by June and Ward (Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont). The main focus was Beaver (Jerry Mathers), whose many adventures rang true to parents across America. The show was revived in the '80s, focusing on a grown Beaver and his family. |
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The Monkees
NBC, 1966-68
So what if they didn't play on their own songs? This strange, wacky show about a group of four musicians is thought to be the father of the modern-day music video. Each episode has some plot, but somehow, a song was worked in and weird footage accompanied it. Campy, crazy -- this show made the Monkees an actual hit music group. And, yes, they did start playing instruments... |
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China Beach
ABC, 1988-91
One of television's attempts at dealing with the Vietnam war. This series focused on the nurses and workers at a hospital/USO entertainment center near a big U.S. base. The storylines were soap opera-like, focusing on several relationships between the workers at the camp, and those who passed through during the war. |
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Magnum P.I.
CBS, 1980-88
A slick, fun detective drama focusing on Tom Selleck's adventures as a P.I. in Hawaii. Selleck's Thomas Magnum lived in the mansion of famous writer Robin Masters (never seen) and often fought with the property's caretaker, Jonathan Higgins (John Hillerman). While the show tended to be light and fun, many episodes were serious looks at the after-effects of the Vietnam war on Magnum and his friends. |
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Gunsmoke
CBS, 1955-75
TV's longest-running drama focused on life in the Old West, and the life of Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness). The show changed the western as it was known, and aired for 20 years. |
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Charlie's Angels
ABC, 1976-81
Three sexy police-trained detectives work for an unseen boss and do battle with a new set of bad guys and gals each week. Best known for launching the career of Farrah Fawcett. |
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Beverly Hills 90210
FOX, 1990-Present
One of Fox's signature shows, the series showcases the glamorous life of teens in California's hippest zip code. It began with the kids in high school, though through the length of the show, they have finished both high school and college. |
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Fresh Prince of Bel Air
NBC, 1990-95
A kid from the streets of Philly comes to live with his relatives in swanky Bel Air, and the hilarity begins. What set this series from the hordes of other "fish out of water" shows was the immediate star power of the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith. Smith was a bonafide rap star before the series, and has turned into a genuine movie star since it ended. |
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Roseanne
ABC, 1988-97
An honest, yet funny, look at the life of a blue-collar family in the mid-west. Roseanne was the mother, whose sometimes acidic relationship with the rest of her family showed that raising a family isn't always easy. The show later lost some of its power, but was one of the shows that changed how television viewed the American family. |
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Moonlighting
ABC, 1985-89
Though Bruce Willis is the biggest star to come from this series, Cybill Shepard also starred in this romantic comedy about a model-turned detective who teamed up with a cocky partner to solve crimes. |
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Lost in Space
CBS, 1965-68
Best described as "Swiss Family Robinson" in space, this series featured a family unable to get back home and their adventures in space. The show was known for it's almost cartoon-like aliens and campy atmosphere. |
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N.Y.P.D. Blue
ABC, 1993-Present
This gritty cop show has managed to become one of television's highest-quality shows, featuring the dark life of a homicide detective in New York City. The show started off as a big hit behind David Caruso, and only grew with Jimmy Smits joining the cast. However, Dennis Franz's Andy Sipowicz is the real focus of the show, and his strong portrayal of the Sipowicz has led to three Emmy wins. |
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Miami Vice
NBC, 1984-89
This stylish drama about two homicide detectives in Miami used fashion and music to keep viewers interested and it worked. Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas attracted the MTV generation to the small screen, and the show helped shape television for years to come. |
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The Waltons
CBS, 1972-81
A warm family drama about life in the South during the depression. The show was loved in rural areas for its heartfelt depiction of family life in the country, though it never quite caught on in large cities. |
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